


To Build A Home

by parasitic



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Friends With Benefits, Multi, Other, Out of Character, Post-War, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Weasley Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-15
Updated: 2016-08-13
Packaged: 2018-06-08 13:44:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 13,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6857416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/parasitic/pseuds/parasitic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The war was two years ago and Hermione has found it hard to reconnect with anyone from her past. Will one night be able to make her miss all of the people she left behind? Will familiar faces be able to help her cope with her own demons?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Invitation

It wasn't always that Hermione left the house to go out with friends. After the war, nothing had been the same. At times, she had felt herself become someone she was not. She had been feeling lost, isolated. Her former self disappearing with each passing day. She had not visited her parents since the war, which had been two years ago. She had gone back to them, but had found them happier than ever; a child on the way. She could not make them remember her now, she could not bring them back into this world, the world she had chosen so many years before.  


 

Tonight was the night she went out to meet with her old friends. And although she had seen Harry a couple days ago due to work at the Ministry, this was the first time since the war that she would actually speak to him. Ron would be there too.

 

It was true that she had shared a few intimate moments with Ron while at Hogwarts, but after the war had ended, they had gone their separate ways. She had needed time to heal as well as him. The loss of his brother, Fred was too much for him to bear at the time. She had been there for him at first, but after a while he had began to isolate himself just as she had begun to do so. The fallout was both of their faults, but neither of them had sent any messages.

 

Hermione had occasionally received an owl or two from Ginny, but that was the only Weasley she had been in touch with since then. Hermione had even stopped talking to the head of the Weasley family, Molly, because she had felt like there was nothing left to say. 

 

Looking at herself in the mirror one last time, Hermione checked her hair, which was pulled into a neat bun on the back of her head. Making sure her hair was secure, she looked at herself again this time looking down at her maroon dress. It wasn't like she was a stranger to being in a dress, but she hadn't been in one since her time at Hogwarts. It brought back good memories. She remembered the Yule Ball and Bill's wedding. All the good times mixed in with the bad. She sighed as she turned around and grabbed her bag from the bed, hesitating she headed towards her night stand to retrieve her wand, but instead decided against it. Nothing had happened in this passed two years, so why would she need her wand? Especially if they were going out in muggle London. Stepping out of her bedroom, she walked towards the front door of her suite and without looking back she stepped outside.

 

* * *

 

 

The cab ride to Harry and Ginny's place was uneventful to say the least. After Hogwarts, Harry and Ginny had gotten a place in muggle London just a twenty minute ride away from where Hermione was currently staying at. Arthur had been excited for Ginny who would get to live and interact with muggles on a daily basis. It was a beautiful two story home with a large backyard. It was a shade of pale yellow with a few rose bushes in the front. It was a family home. Hermione knew that Ginny had wanted to start a family. Ginny had always been a motherly figure, she had taken after Molly, of course. Loving and understanding.

 

Hermione now stood in front of the large house as the cab sped away into the dark street. She tugged at her purse strap on her shoulder, and wrapped her coat around her abdomen as she continued to stare. Her Gryffindor courage had come in handy during the war, but right now, it was failing her. She did not know who would be there. She had not seen anyone since their days at Hogwarts. She was not sure how she was supposed to act around them now. The weight on her shoulders was too heavy right now. The soles of her feet began to ache as she continued to stand there, unmoving. She heard laughing and footsteps to her left so she quickly turned to face toward where the sound had originated from.

 

Hermione saw the two people coming toward her as they came into view. She saw the female look up first and Hermione instantly remembered who she was, Angelina. Angelina looked up, still laughing, and looked at her as she stopped. Her companion which had her by the waist, looked up confused as to why she had stopped. Hermione almost expected the red head to be Fred, but instead it was the other twin, George. Of course, she knew Fred had died during the war, she had seen him lying there motionless, as had everyone. But seeing George smiling reminded her of Fred, she half expected him to pop up from behind and say it was all a practical joke.   
  
  
"Granger." George said breathlessly as both Angelina and him stepped closer, "What are you doing just standing there?"

 

Hermione smiled, or tried to. The fairy tale had been broken as soon as George had spoken. "I-I'm not so sure."   
It wasn't like her to just stand idly by and say nothing. She always had something to say whether it was positive or negative. She had always been outspoken, but it seemed like it had all vanished. The old Hermione was lost. She had died in the war.  
  
  
"Everyone's inside, well almost everyone." Angelina said as she smiled at Hermione and tugged at George, "We were just heading in."

 

Hermione nodded and followed both of them as the three made their way towards the front door. Hermione knew that Angelina and George had apparated here as she knew that George did not live in muggle London, nor did Angelina. Last she had known was that he had continued to operate Weasley's Wizard Wheezes by himself with the help of Lee Jordan.   
She held onto her bag strap as she began to get anxious. She stared straight at the door as if it could help calm her nerves. Who had Harry invited? Who else would she have to see here. She had already guessed that Ginny's brothers would be here, but she had not known that it was a plus one. Not that she could have invited anyone in the first place. She hadn't really met anyone in the last two years who she would have liked to have invited here tonight.   
  
  
The door opened before another thought had formed in her head. A smiling Harry greeted them when the door opened.  
  
  
"George, Angelina glad you guys could make it." He said as he hugged them.  
  
  
"Wouldn't have missed it mate. Weasley parties always are good ones eh?" George responded as he stepped inside the house with Angelina trailing behind him.

 

Harry laughed and stared back at Hermione who was now awkwardly smiling at Harry.  
  
  
"Harry, I-" She began but could bring herself to finish the sentence she had started so instead she rushed toward him and hugged him. She held him tightly as she remembered all the times when his life had been in danger back at Hogwarts. She felt him hug her back tightly as they hugged for a few more moments. "I've missed you." She finally said as she loosened her grip of him and stood back.  
  
  
"I've missed you too Hermione." Harry said as he gave her the goofy grin she had become accustomed to since their adventures, and misadventures, at Hogwarts. 


	2. A Shrill Voice

After a brief chat with Harry, Hermione was left alone again. She had retreated towards a corner of the living room. Harry had offered her a drink, to which she had gladly accepted seeing as she would possibly be needing it. What she had thought would just be an intimate gathering between old friends, turned out to be much more. There were people every where. The backyard, from the looks of it, was packed with people. Hermione had seen both unfamiliar and familiar faces as she had gravitated toward the corner she was in now. The coat she had been wearing was now in the coat closet so she was left with exposed arms and every once in a while she would feel someone brushing up on her arm. She had come to avoid human contact as much as possible over the passed two years, so all these people were starting to bother her, slightly.   
  
She felt like she had stayed by her corner long enough as she made her war towards the kitchen where she had been greeted by Ginny only moments before.

 

"Ginny, where's your bathroom?" Hermione asked Ginny from across the granite island where Ginny was arranging the appetizers.   
  
  
"Upstairs, second door to your right." She replied without much of a glance. 

 

After excusing herself, Hermione began to make her way upstairs. She was in no hurry, as she really did not even have to go to the bathroom. She just needed to get away from all the people that were excitedly talking amongst themselves. She had no interest in conversing with any of the people she had seen so far as they were people she had briefly met at Hogwarts or complete strangers. Just as she got to the top of the stairs, Hermione saw someone coming out of the bathroom. She almost would not have noticed them, if it weren't for their bright red shaggy hair.  
  
  
"Hermione." The familiar voice said surprised, "I'm surprised to see you here."  
  
  
"Nice to see you too, Ronald." She said slightly annoyed at what he had said.  
  
  
"Sorry, I didn't mean for it to come out that way." He stated as he scratched the back of his neck, "How have you been?"  
  
  
Hermione had not been expecting to run into Ron this early, especially not here, alone. She was not even sure how she was supposed to answer his question. Was she supposed to lie and say that she was fine? That she was certainly not having nightmares and waking up in the middle of the night to her own screams. Was she supposed to say that her life was going great as of late, when in reality it just seemed dull and without a purpose? Although Hermione knew that people would ask her questions, she was now feeling like she was not prepared both mentally and emotionally. She suddenly felt drained as she stood there in front of Ron. 

 

"I've been fine. How about you?" Hermione knew it was a complete lie, but what else could she say? People did not ask how you were if they really wanted to know about your problems, they only ask the question out of politeness. She knew, of course, that this was Ron, one of her best friends for years, but somehow it didn't feel like it any more. It had been easier to lie to everyone so far. She knew she missed Ron just as much as she had missed Harry, but she couldn't bring herself to admit this to Ron. It was too hard to admit it.  
  
  
"I've been alright. Has it's ups and downs ya know?" Ron responded as he offered Hermione a small smile. "Did you come with anyone?"  
  
  
Ah, typical Ron. Hermione thought that maybe Ron had grown up over the last two years, but it seemed like he was still the same. Always wanting to know about her love life, trying to etch his way in, at any way possible.  
  
  
"No, why? Did you?" Hermione asked. It wasn't like she wanted to know if he had brought someone along with him, but she just wanted to get this conversation over with as soon as possible. She knew where this would end, and she did not want to repeat the same conversations they had had at Hogwarts whenever they had been alone during their last year.  
  
  
"No, I just came with Charlie and Percy."

 

"Percy?" Hermione asked incredulously. It wasn't like Ron hated his own brother, but it seemed like Percy would be the last person that he would willingly come with to a party, or anywhere, especially here.

 

"Shocker, I know." Ron said as a chuckle escaped his lips. "We've actually come quite close... after the war."

 

Hermione pursed her lips at the mention of that. She was not sure whether Ron had learned to cope with all the loss that had happened during the war, he sure seemed fine, but that could be an understatement. She would know better than anyone else that what was on the outside not always reflects what's really going on in the inside.  
  
  
"Listen Ron, I know I-" Hermione began before she was abruptly cut off by a shrill voice coming from behind her. She knew that voice, it had annoyed her all through Hogwarts especially in the brief moments when she had dated Ron.   
  
  
  
Lavender came rushing quickly passed Hermione as she rushed toward Ron and hugged him, "How long has it been, Ron? Did you miss me?"  
  
  
  
Ron made a face at Hermione as she offered him a grin and made her way towards the bathroom in an attempt to get away from this uncomfortable reunion. 


	3. The Bathroom

Hermione stood in front of the mirror with her hands tightly holding on to the cold sink. Times like these when she missed the first year bathroom at Hogwarts. Although she had remembered how she had almost always been alone at Hogwarts, now she did not feel as comfortable with her own isolation. As she stared at herself in the mirror, there was hope that somehow Moaning Myrtle would pop out from behind her in surprise. She had never grown fond of the ghost that haunted the bathroom, but now she missed her. She missed the adventures the trio used to have every year while they had been at Hogwarts. It had always crossed her mind, what if she had not become best friends with them? What would she have done during those years? Where would she have ended up?

 

During her first year, when Ron and almost every one else had said mean comments about her behind her back, she had wanted to drop out of Hogwarts. She remembered the night when she had found herself crying in the girls' lavatory only to be attacked by the Mountain Troll. If Harry and Ron had not come in to save her, who knows what would have happened. All of the knowledge she had inside her big brain had not come in handy then, she had been paralyzed by the sight of the troll. She loosened her grip on the sink and sighed. Harry and Ron had cared about her enough to come save her that night, she had been grateful and still was, even after all these years. Harry and Ron had always been there for her just as she had always been there for them, sure they had had their falling outs, but they always got back to the way things were.   
Almost reluctantly, she remembered that that had not been the case these past two years. They hadn't even attempted to talk to one another ever since.  
  
  
_Maybe this time it's different_ , Hermione thought. _Maybe this time we won't be able to make up just like old times._

 

The thought of having lost her best friends was too much for her to handle. They had not talked for nearly two years, but in those two years she had never thought that their friendship was over, and now that she began to think of the possibility that perhaps it had been gone, she felt like her heart was about to break. She had known Harry and Ron for what seemed the longest she had known anyone. She had never really made any good friends, it had always been difficult for her since everyone became annoyed with her at some point. Harry and Ron had stuck by, despite the fact that she would at times nag at them, but now... Without as much as a second thought, Hermione headed towards the bathroom door and stepped out, bumping into someone on her way out.  
  
Looking up, she noticed it was, "Ron. What are you still doing here?"

 

With a crooked smile Ron grabbed her and embraced her in a tight hug, "I've missed you Hermione. I know we haven't talked ever since that one night... I don't want our friendship to be over. We always had great times at Hogwarts, I doubt those times are over yet."  
  
  
Releasing her from the embrace, Hermione felt relieved. It was as if Ron had known exactly what she had  been thinking while she had been in the bathroom. It was almost odd that Ron had now, after all these years, developed a sense of emotion. In their years at Hogwarts, Ron had been oblivious to the feelings of those around him, even his own. She was not sure if this was the new Ron, maybe his brothers had knocked some sense into him.  
  
  


"I've missed you too, Ronald." Although she had not intended to admit this to him, it felt right now. Before, she had been too afraid to say it to him, but now that he had been the one to admit it first, it felt like she could freely express it to him.  
  
  
Ron smiled down at her as he gestured to her, "Come on, I'm sure you haven't seen Charlie nor Percy."  
  
  
  
"Is Percy bearable now?" Hermione asked with a hint of playfulness to her voice.

 

"You'd be surprised, he still gets under my skin sometimes. Unbearable as ever." Ron said as both of them laughed.

 

Maybe what Hermione had been afraid of was not true. It felt like their friendship had not deteriorated as she had feared, but had instead, stayed intact. It was a relief as she stared at Ron who was talking animatedly about his brothers and what antics he had been up to now that Charlie had come down for a visit. It seemed like Ron really was fine. He had his time to cope with his losses, maybe it was time that Hermione did the same.


	4. A Carrot Head

Before the war had come to an end, Hermione had lost everything she had held so dearly. She had lost her family, various people she had come to know throughout her stay at Hogwarts, and herself. 

 

When she had made her parents forget her, Hermione thought that that would be the hardest thing about the war; the most painful. Seeing as the pictures of her faded and her parents would soon know her as a stranger had devastated her more than anything. No one had asked her whether she was alright, no one had cared. She knew that she had to do it in order to save her parents from eminent destruction. It was their only chance, her only hope, for them to live a happy and normal life without the chaos that she had come to know so well. 

 

Hermione missed her parents still. She knew that they were living a better life now, with another child on the way. A normal child. She had not been able to push herself into their lives after seeing their smiling faces from the outside of their living room window. She had liked to check up on them every once in a while to make sure they were alright, the last time she had paid them a visit had been six months ago. Hermione knew that the baby had to have arrived by now, but she did not want to see the child. It wasn't out of malice, but she knew it would make her want to change her mind. If she saw the child, she knew she would want to be a part of the family again. Her family. Her sibling. 

 

After seeing so much destruction at Hogwarts, Hermione had come to expect the worst in every situation ever since. Their last year had passed by in a blur, uneventful, but stressful nonetheless. She had known and come to realize, that maybe she had become used to the danger. She had sought it out various times after the war, but none of it had come close to giving her the same adrenaline rush as their adventures had. Part of the reason why she took the job at the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes was because of her need to be put right in front in the face of danger. She had thought of becoming an Auror, something she would have never thought about when she was younger, but she had not tried to gain a position just because she had not wanted to intrude on Harry and Ron.   
  
  


* * *

  
"How's work going for you Hermione?" Charlie asked as he peered at her from behind his cup as he took a sip from his drink, "Last I had heard, you were working in the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes."  
  
  
Percy looked over at her in silence as she stared back at him and then at Charlie who was waiting for an answer, "Actually, I resigned."

Hermione had turned in her resignation, not as a sign of recklessness, but because she had felt it was the only thing left to do. She had known, from the start, that she had wanted the job for all the wrong reasons. It had to only be a matter of time before she would have left the job. Percy had known, which was why he had looked at her, probably expecting an explanation. She had not given an explanation to the department as to why she was leaving her position. It was not the pay, nor the position for that matter. It was just simply her. She had no longer felt the need to work there, it had began to feel more of a chore than something she wanted to do for the trill of it.   
  
  
Charlie looked at her with a puzzled expression as she felt Ron stare at her from the right.  
"You what? Why?" Ron asked as he put his glasses down in front of him, "Did you get a better position somewhere else?"

 

"No. I just didn't feel like working there anymore." Hermione responded as she looked around, trying to avoid eye contact with the three Weasleys. "I joined for the wrong reasons anyway, there's nothing much to say on the matter."

 

Hermione knew that Ron would not let this one go easily. Even though Ron had been insensitive at times, he knew that his friends did not half ass anything unless there was a reason. Ron would want the truth, something that Hermione was not willing to give him so easily. Although, it was true what she had just told them, she knew it wasn't just because of that. There was always more to it than she wanted to let them know. It was for her to know and for them to not know. 

  
  
Percy who had been standing quietly, finally spoke, "I'm sure Hermione has her reasons. To which she doesn't have to explain."

 

Even though Percy had always been one of the odd Weasleys, he was one of the few who were considerate and knew when to let things go. She had remembered her first encounter with Percy when she had first arrived at Hogwarts. How he had given her advice on classes and let her know of things ahead of the others. He had wanted to see her succeed despite what anyone else had said behind her back. At times, she thought that Percy was, in some aspects, like her. Misunderstood, but devout to their cause. Sure, Percy had done some things that Hermione had not initially approved of, but she grew to understand his decisions. 

 

"Yeah, but-" Ron started but was caught off by Charlie.

 

"Percy is right Ron. No need to push Hermione's buttons now. If I remember correctly, she had one mean bite." Charlie said as he made a meowing sound and gestured with his hand.

 

Hermione laughed at this as she remembered when she had confronted Charlie one day, at the Burrow, for using one of Fred and George's prank toys on her. The stupid thing had turned her hair orange, Charlie had called her carrot head for an entire week afterward. 

Even though Hermione had praised Fred and George's inventions, she still sometimes disliked the things they had come up with. Sure, they brought joy to many children, but sometimes it brought things worse than joy.   
  
  
  


"You deserved it Charlie." Hermione said as she smirked at him, "Next time you won't be so lucky."


	5. The Same Hermione

Hermione had spent the last half hour conversing with Charlie as Ron and Percy had wondered off somewhere. 

 

"So, now that my annoying brothers aren't here... Care to elaborate as to why you resigned from your position?" Charlie asked as he leaned on the wall behind him and took a drink from his cup; his eyes looking at her.   
Since the last time Hermione had briefly seen Charlie, he had looked youthful. Now as she was staring at him, he looked different. The dim lights illuminated his brown eyes and freckled face. It seemed as if his fiery hair had lost it's glow, now dull against his tan skin. His face had always been sun-burned, but from the looks of it, he had not been out in the sun for a while. She noticed the lines around his eyes, the laugh lines on the corners of his mouth. Charlie was beginning to look more like a man than the young man she had remembered. She stared at him for a moment longer as she tried to gather her thoughts.

 

 

"Oh Charlie. There's nothing left to say on that matter. It was just not the job for me after all." Hermione had had meaningful conversations with Charlie in the past, but things were different now. She had not spoken to him in years, how could she just tell him everything that was going through her mind now? She knew, of course, that Charlie did not have any ill intentions, but she could not help but set her guard up. After the war it had become quite difficult for Hermione to trust and talk to anyone about her problems. It had been since then that she had talked to anyone about matters that concerned her life. 

No one at her work had asked about her life because they kept it strictly professional. There were no friends to be made at the Ministry. It had just been the same routine for Hermione over the past two years; work and home. Home and work. The same two places, the only places she had been to in the last years. There was no where else where she felt comfortable. 

 

 

"If you're the same Hermione I remember, you wouldn't just do something for the sake of doing it. We all know how much you valued your education and how proud you were of everything you did." Charlie responded as he set the cup in between his hands.

 

 

"That's it then," Hermione responded bitterly, "I'm not the same Hermione, Charlie. How could I be after everything that has happened? How could you act so nonchalant about all of it?" Hermione's last intention was to cause a scene at her friend's get-together, but she could not control the tone, nor the volume, of her voice. She had not intended to snap at Charlie either, it was obvious he had just wanted to know if there was another cause for Hermione's action, but she just didn't want to discuss it with anyone. She had begun to cherish her isolation and keeping her problems to herself. She had recalled how easily information about her had gotten around Hogwarts as fast as the sound of a quill dropping. She was not about to let everyone know about her problems now, not even Charlie. 

 

 

"I'm sorry Charlie. I should go." Hermione replied as she tried to get passed the swarm of people that were now in the living room. She heard Charlie calling out to her, but she ignored him as she pushed through the bodies of people. Had there been this many people when she had come in here? She could have sworn there had been fewer people. Finally reaching the door, she opened it and rushed outside into the cool night air. 

 

 

What was wrong with her? Had she forgotten how to interact with people? She shouldn't have gotten defense like that, especially not with Charlie. The guilt of her sudden outburst was now the only thing plaguing her thoughts, that is until she heard a familiar laugh. She looked upwards towards the fence and noticed the pale blonde hair. The boy, now a man, stopped a few feet away from her, with his left hand on the fence door.

 

 

"Malfoy? What are you doing here?" Hermione sneered as she stepped closer. How dare he show his face around here. Especially at Harry and Ginny's home. How did he even know how to find them? Surely Harry had set wards around his home to protect it from people like Draco Malfoy. 

 

 

"I was invited." Draco responded as he held her gaze. 


	6. A Friend, Unexpected

Before tearing her gaze from his steel, grey eyes, Hermione scoffed and looked to the side in disbelief, "And who would invite you?"

 

Hermione had learned to dislike Malfoy. He had always been there with his rude comments back at Hogwarts. He had helped Voldemort during the war and had aided the wrong side. The last year they had returned to Hogwarts to finish their studies, Draco had begun to change. It was true he had been pardoned by most of the faculty, but she had never forgiven him. If it hadn't been for him, maybe many of the people who died during the war would have still been alive. 

 

"Potter invited me." He said as he opened the door and began to walk in alongside someone she'd never seen before.

Had Harry forgiven him? Is that it? Hermione began to wonder what else she had missed during the two years. Her blood began to boil as she started thinking about what this meant. So, instead of trying to speak to his best friend, Harry had been befriending the one person who he had despised throughout his years at Hogwarts? Hermione felt betrayed and it stung that Harry had preferred to fix things between him and Draco. 

 

 

"So you travel to muggle London?" Hermione asked bitterly ignoring the person beside Draco, "Since when do you associate yourself with muggles and blood traitors, Malfoy?"

She didn't want to know the answers to her questions, the only purpose was to let Draco know that he was not welcome here. She couldn't be sure that anyone had actually invited him here tonight. He could have just showed up to cause havoc, her hand twitched as she grabbed her bag, regretting not having brought her wand with her. 

 

 

"I know you still assume the worst of me. But Harry asked-"

 

"Harry?!" Hermione asked as what Malfoy was about to say caught her off guard. So her suspicions had been correct, Harry had indeed invited his worst enemy to his own house. Maybe this wasn't even the first time he had been invited. Or was it? Why hadn't Harry mentioned it when she had first arrived? Was there anything else he was not going to tell her until she saw it with her own eyes? Anyone else that Harry befriended while she had been in isolation with as much as an owl from him? The sting she had been feeling earlier began to increase as she stared at Draco with pursed lips. "There is no way."

 

"Actually, yes there is." Draco responded as he motioned, with a nod, to the front door. Hermione looked behind her and saw Harry coming out of his house and walking towards them.

 

"Hermione, it's okay. I invited him." Harry said as he hurried beside Hermione and smiled. "Glad you could make it Malfoy. It's a pleasure seeing you again Rosie. You should go in, Ginny's in the kitchen."

 

"Thanks, Potter." Draco replied with a nod as Rosie smiled at both Harry and Hermione as they both made their way towards the house.

 

"You invited Malfoy?!" Hermione asked a little too loudly when Draco had disappeared into the house, "Since when are you friends with him?"

 

"Long story Hermione. He apologized and we talked things over." Harry responded nonchalantly as he grinned.

Harry having a civil chat with Draco? Draco apologizing to Harry? 

At this point, Hermione began to think that this was possibly a dream, a horrible dream. Harry would never speak to Draco. And Draco would, in turn, not talk to Harry either. What was going on?

 

"So while I was on my own, you were befriending the enemy? What happened to never speaking to Malfoy? Where was our talk when the war ended? More specifically where were _you_?" Hermione asked harshly as she crossed her arms over her chest. Hermione was more hurt at the fact that he had reached out to Draco, but he hadn't made the effort to speak to her. It was wrong of her to assume that their friendship had meant something, clearly it had meant nothing.

 

"You disappeared Hermione. I wrote you for the first three months with no reply back. Everyone did. You're the one that chose not to reply back. We were all worried until Percy saw you in the Ministry one day."

In all truth, Hermione had forgotten about that. She had seen the owls arrive at her window with letters from her friends, but she had been too absorbed with her own insecurities and problems that she had not responded back to any of them. She never even read them, it was a miracle that she had read his invitation to tonight. But it was the first letter she had received from anyone in a while. She had just stored them in a box in the bottom drawer of her night stand. Should she have read them, even if it had been a few months since she had received them?

 

As Hermione recalled it, she began to loosen her stance as she stared at Harry's shoulders, "I'm sorry Harry. It's just... everything was too much."

 

"It's alright Hermione. I should have looked for you at the Ministry. Tried to talk to you and see how you were doing at least." Hermione lifted her gaze from his shoulder and looked at his face. His bright blue eyes staring back at her. "Draco came to my office one morning. Asking if we could talk. At first, I will admit, I did not want to talk to him. Just looking at him reminded me of his father and of what had happened in the past. But, if McGonagall forgave him then the least I could do was listen to what he had to say. We always heard rumors around Hogwarts about him afterward, remember?"

Hermione did remember all the rumors that had circulated after the war had ended. Students had begun associating Draco with the bad things that had transpired. The feared Draco had become the school's least feared individual. Whereareas his Slytherin counterparts still associated with him, most of the school did not. He had managed to alienate himself from the rest of the students. 

"...he expressed how sorry and guilty he felt. He told me he didn't want to do the things he had to do during the war, he was doing it for the safety of his family. While he was explaining everything to me, I began thinking, like doesn't everyone do things to protect their family? Things that they probably would never do otherwise?"

This made Hermione think about her parents and how she had made them forget her for the sake of their safety, something she wished she hadn't had to do. She realized Harry had a point, something Harry didn't have a lot of. 

 

"I know we might not have ever liked him, and he did do things that were wrong, but all of these things changed him, Hermione. He's not the Malfoy we remember from Hogwarts. He has different beliefs now." Harry explained as she listened to him. It seemed odd how Harry was trying to explain why Draco could be trusted now, this was surely not the same Harry she remembered. Although it baffled her how he was on board on Draco's transition to being someone different, she still had her doubts. It wouldn't be anything new if Draco was lying and setting a trap for Harry. But she trusted Harry, above anyone else concerning Draco. Especially since he had always been so negative towards anything that Draco had done in the past.

 

"Is that why he's hanging around muggles?" Hermione asked trying to wrap her head around the fact that Draco was perfectly okay with being here, of all places, seeing as he had never been to muggle London. 

 

"Rosie is actually a muggle. He's gotten quite used to muggle technology and the world. It's quite surprising." Harry said as he should his hands in his pant pockets. "How about we go back inside?"

 

Hermione smiled at him and nodded, "Okay, but no more surprises tonight, Potter."

 

"I can't promise that."


	7. The Knock-out

Warmth greeted Hermione as she stepped inside Harry's house again. The swarm of bodies was now growing on her, so it didn't bother her as much when you skin touched someone's arm. 

 

"What's the special occasion?" Hermione asked, knowing all too well that something had to be going on for him to be okay with this many people. 

 

"Ginny made me promise not to tell." Harry said as he walked under the doorway to the kitchen, "She would kill me if I told you."

 

Hermione knew Ginny all too well. Which meant that she knew that Ginny was not one for secrets, no matter what. She had remembered when the young witch had confided in her when she had first began to develop feelings for Harry. Just as she remembered when she had also confided in Ginny with some of her well-kept secrets. Hermione knew that whatever it was that Ginny was trying to keep secret had to be very important. Maybe a new job position? 

 

"Maybe I should have a word with her then?" Hermione asked, her interest peaking. 

 

They came to a stop near Ginny, who was animatedly talking to her brothers near the kitchen island.

 

"No, Ron." Ginny said as she shook her head, "I'm not saying anything."

 

Ron cleared his throat as Harry and Hermione approached as if to tell Ginny to stop talking about whatever it was that they had been discussing.

 

"Hermione! Just the person I was looking for!" Ginny exclaimed as she took Hermione by the shoulders and lead her through the kitchen towards a small corridor towards the back where no people were around. "So what is this about you quitting?"

 

"Did Ron ask you to force me to tell you something?" Hermione asked as she rolled her eyes. She knew Ron was persistent, but she would have assumed he would have gotten over that and developed new and better traits.

 

"No, well yes, but I want to know. Did something happen?" Ginny asked, concern washing over her features. During this moment, Ginny looked more like her mother than ever. Where was her mother anyway? Were her parents coming?

 

Hermione fidgeted slightly as she looked at Ginny, "No, not exactly. I just changed my mind."

 

Ginny stared at her a moment longer as if expecting her to say something else, "You know I'm always here if you want to talk about anything, right?"

Sure, Hermione knew this. Ginny had been one of the few people who had been there when she had needed to talk about something. When she felt the world atop of her shoulders, and had needed someone to vent to. She remembered all those times at Hogwarts when Ginny and her had stayed past bedtime in the Gryffindor common room, just talking about anything that was bothering them. She remembered how they had helped each other when everything seemed like it was about to fall apart at their feet. 

 

"I know Ginny." Hermione reassured her as she smiled at her. "Which is why I'm telling you nothing is wrong. I just need a change that's all."

* * *

 

 

The talk Hermione had had with Ginny had gone well. She had reassured Ginny that everything was fine, that nothing was wrong with her. Maybe it had been a stretch, but everything else was okay. Hermione might still be a mess, but that didn't mean that she couldn't play the part of being a bit better than two years ago. 

 

"Ganger." She heard her name being called from behind. She turned around to find Draco looking at her with a straight face. No emotion, just as she had remembered him during his last year at Hogwarts. "Before you say anything, I just wanted to apologize. I'm sorry for everything that happened during our time at Hogwarts. It might have been my intentions at the time to show hostility towards you, but it isn't anymore. My behavior was childish. I can assure you, I don't have the same beliefs as I did before."

As he spoke, his stare never wavered. Not even once. He kept looking at her. One thing Hermione recalled about Draco, was that he had never held his gaze for as long as he was doing right now. Usually, whenever he had spoken to Hermione to hurl insults at her, he had stared down at her in disgust. But now as he was staring at her, he was looking at her as his equal. He did not look down at her, but he just looked at her, just like Harry looked at her. Normally, with no ill intentions.

Hermione knew, that as much as she wanted to be right about Draco's real motives, she began to feel like maybe she was wrong. Maybe Draco had changed. 

 

"You must realize how difficult it is for me to believe you, right?" Hermione asked quickly. 

 

"Yes, and I'm willing to work for it. It took Potter months before he could trust me in the slightest. Your boyfriend still hates me."

Boyfriend? Since when did she have a boyfriend?

 

"Excuse me? Boyfriend?" Hermione was not sure if he was trying to be funny or if he was being serious.

 

"Ron." Draco said a little too quickly. Probably a name he was still trying to get used to saying without saying something rude. "He mentioned being your boyfriend."

 

Hermione furrowed her brows confused, _why would Ron say that?_ They had both agreed to end their relationship those years before so why was he saying that they were in a relationship? 

 

"Well, he's not." Hermione snapped as she crossed her arms over her chest. "But, I will be willing to see you in a different light. Harry explained to me why he doesn't see you as the enemy anymore. So I'm willing to do the same.. Just know that if you try to hurt Harry in any way, you will regret it."

 

"Trust me. I still remember that time you punched me." Draco replied with a smirk.

Hermione had almost forgotten about that. If it were someone else, she would have apologized for it, but it was Draco and he had deserved it. 

 

Hermione laughed as she remembered how he had ran off with his friends afterward, "And I will never apologize for it."

 

 


	8. A Proposal

The night had taken an unexpected turn when Draco had come up to Hermione with an apology and after some talking, had invited her to dinner the following night. Hermione had accepted, albeit almost reluctantly, but she had to give him a chance even if it was Draco Malfoy. She knew she would have wanted a second chance if she had done something to hurt someone and had regretted it, so she was offering that chance to Draco, so he could redeem himself.

 

"May we have your attention please?" Ginny spoke from the top of the stair case. Everyone who had been having conversation suddenly stopped as they turned toward Ginny who was waiting patiently for the chatter to subside. "Harry and I have an announcement to make."

Hermione waited as Harry came into view and took a hold of Ginny's hand. Hermione's gears were in overdrive as she began to realize what this whole thing was about. It wasn't just about reuniting everyone like their letter had explained. It was about something else. Hermione noticed Molly and Arthur on the side where Harry had come from, and they were smiling.

 

"Ginny and I are engaged." Harry spoke as many of the people erupted in joy. Hermione heard a few gasp as they probably were not expecting Harry to have made this sort of announcement. 

 

Hermione should have guessed that it was about this. She should have not expected anything else from both of them, they had liked each other for quite some time now, it had been only a matter of time until they would have gotten married. It wasn't much of a surprise to Hermione as it was to Ron who she saw walking toward Harry. Hermione tried to make her way towards Harry and Ginny who were now being surrounded by a swarm of people congratulating them on their engagement. It took a few more minutes until Hermione could reach them who were now talking to Ron.

 

"How could you not have told me this mate?" Ron asked as he was towering over Harry, "Bloody hell, how did I not notice?"

 

"It barely happened Ron." Ginny interrupted as she saw how hard Ron was trying to think. 

 

"Yeah, about three days ago." Harry added as he looked over at his friend.

 

"Three days ago? Where? When? How?" Ron asked trying to process how it could have been possible. Hermione bit her lip as she tried not to laugh at Ron's reaction. 

 

"Congratulations you guys. I'm so happy for you." Hermione expressed as she hugged both of them. "I'm going to go say hi to your parents Ginny before Ron had a mental breakdown."

 

* * *

 

Apparently, the only ones who had known of Harry and Ginny's engagement had been Molly and Arthur. It surprised Hermione that they had kept this announcement from everyone else, including the papers. But now that the word was out, Hermione knew that it would be on the front page of the Daily Prophet. 

After the news of their engagement had been announced, some of the guests had begun to leave as the get-together had started to die down. The buzz of excitement, was now significant less than when Hermione had arrived.

 

"Hermione, I had something to ask." Ginny said as she pulled Hermione toward one side of the wall. 

 

"What is it?" Hermione asked.

 

"Would you be my maid of honour?" Ginny asked as she smiled at Hermione, expecting a reply.

Hermione had never been asked to be something so important for a friend. Sure, she had been there for Harry when he had needed her the most, but not for something like a wedding. Hermione was not even too sure what they did at weddings, having only ever attended Bill and Fleur's wedding. Hermione was more than honoured to have been Ginny's choice to be with her for something so important.

 

"I would love to Ginny." Hermione said as she was engulfed into a tight hug.


	9. The Perfect Percy

"How about some celebratory drinks Harry?" George asked as the Weasley boys surrounded him.

 

"Oh no you don't." Ginny said as she emerged from the doorway after having said goodbye to her parents. "

 

"Oh come on Gin, you can come too." Ron, who was seated on the coffee table in front of Harry, said.

 

"These will probably be nights you won't ever have again... Putting them to good use eh, mate?" George said as he wiggled his eyebrows towards Harry. From the looks of it, George was the same as ever. There was probably only three things that ever crossed George's mind and those were pranks, more jokes and sex. It was a miracle that George had not yet fathered a child. 

 

"Don't be gross George." Ginny said as she smacked him across the head.

George snickered as he rubbed the backside of his head. Ron looked disgusted for a moment, probably trying to get the image out of his mind. It was understandable since Ron had been the last one to figure out the growing feelings between Ginny and Harry. Ron had always been... slow when it came to these sorts of matters. So it didn't surprise Hermione that he still felt uncomfortable with the fact that his younger sister was now going to marry his best friend and possibly have children together. He probably still believed that Harry and Ginny were not shagging yet. Not that Hermione knew, but she knew that it was possible seeing as they did live together. 

 

"Fine. I have practice in the early hours, but Harry can go if he wants to."

 

"Don't worry, I'll take care of him Ginny." Hermione said as they all stepped out into the cool London midnight air a few minutes later. "Better be on your best behavior boys, or Ginny won't let you out for Harry's bachelor party."

 

 

"Oi we know that don't we Harry?" George replied as he placed an arm around Harry's shoulder, "This is just practice."

 

"Wait, for what?" Harry asked laughing nervously.

 

"You'll just have to wait and see." Replied George with a mischievous grin.

 

* * *

 

"No, how about you take this?" Bill told Charlie who was trying to hold five glasses.

 

"But, I can take them." Replied a slightly tipsy Charlie. It was a rare sight that Hermione had never seen in all of the years she had known the Weasleys. She had never seen Bill nor Charlie even remotely intoxicated. 

They had been arguing over the exact same thing for the past five minutes. Hermione, who had had only one drink so far had noticed of course, but the others hadn't. Harry, who was oblivious whether he was intoxicated or sober, had been forced by George and Ron to drink shots with them near the bar. So Hermione had been left at the the table by the bar with Percy, who had been sitting on his second ale. 

 

"How are things going for you Percy?" Hermione asked as she eyed Bill and Charlie a few more seconds before turning her attention to Percy who was sitting rather stiffly. Same old Percy.

 

"Quite good." Percy said as he looked at Hermione for a millisecond before he reverted his eyes back to the foam on the top of his glass. "Nothing ever changes really."

 

Hermione arched an eyebrow. Percy had never been one to talk about anything that would let another person into his personal manners. So she was surprised at the sudden phrase that had escaped his lips. "Pardon me?"

 

"I was offered another position. I haven't told my parents."

 

"That's great Percy. Where to?" Hermione asked as she brought the glass of lager to her lips and took a drink. The taste creating a stark contrast to the taste of what she was accustomed to. 

 

"Normally I would accept it wouldn't I? It has always been that way with us, hasn't it Granger?" Percy asked as he looked over at Hermione, a blank expression on his face.

Hermione was a bit confused by Percy's sudden question. She was not sure whether to answer it sincerely or whether maybe he was already drunk. She was not sure as she had never had a drink with Percy.

 

"I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean."

 

"But you do. Think about it. Everyone always expects us to be the ones who strive forward because that's what we have always been doing. Remember back at Hogwarts. We always stayed focused on pushing forward. They all knew we would always want to strive to become better than what we started with." Percy said as he looked down at his hands. Hermione looked at his hands too seeing the delicate fingers as he interlaced his fingers so his palms touched. "I know how you feel Hermione. And I'm more than positive that everyone else feels the same, they might not show it, but they do." Percy took a deep breath as he grabbed Hermione's left hand in both of his hands. "When I heard that you quit, it made me think about my own motives. I won't be accepting the promotion." 

 

Hermione had become transfixed by the gesture that Percy had showed towards her. She remembered how uptight and serious Percy had always been especially during his time as Prefect. She knew Percy had always been the center of his brother's pranks, but he had always tried to keep his head held high and work for his goals. Hermione had looked up to Percy during her first year, she had fond memories of Percy. He had always tried to help her and had let her stay up late at night studying for her classes without getting her in trouble. 

"I'm sorry if my actions affected you in any way, but Percy, you have always worked for everything you have achieved. Why back down now?" Hermione asked as she searched his blue eyes, but found nothing. 

 

"You want to know what the last thing Fred heard me saying?" He asked as he smiled, wrinkles forming around the edges of his eyes. "That I was going to resign, of course it was a joke. Even Fred knew this... but now, it seems that maybe it wasn't a simple joke."

 

Hermione sat silent for a moment as she recalled how Percy had stayed by Fred's side, refusing to leave him there. "This is why you should accept it. Stay in the Ministry, Percy. Don't leave until you've become the Minister for Magic. Don't let anything like this ever happen again." She reached across the table with her other hand and now held his hands in hers, "Do it for Fred." 

 

"I can see why my brother was so smitten towards you." Percy replied as he smiled at her, curiosity filling his stare.


	10. A Prankster and A Joke Shop

A few bars and hours later, Hermione found herself with a clinging Harry at her side. For being the Boy-Who-Lived, he sure was a lightweight and a blabbering drunk.

 

"I-I just la-love her so much." Harry slurred for the hundredth time since they had left the bar. "I knew we..knew we w-would get married after I first saw her."

 

"You first saw her when she was like ten mate," George responded as he held Ron, in the same fashion that Hermione was holding Harry, who was half asleep. "That's kind of... weird."

Hermione looked back at Ron who was starting to sport a face of disgust. But before she could warn George, Ron spat out his dinner on his shoes

 

"Oi, that's _bloody_ brilliant Ron!" George yelled as he stepped back while Ron tried to steady himself with the brick wall. 

 

"Don't scream George," Charlie responded as he rubbed the sides of his head, "You know I hate your whiney high pitched voice."

 

"I wouldn't be talking if I were you." George retorted as he turned toward Charlie who was now standing beside George.

 

"Ron, are you alright?" Hermione asked as she saw Ron breathing heavily and then continue to purge his stomach's contents on the pavement.

 

"As much as I would like to stay and see what else Ron spits out, I have to get going." Bill said as he tried to straighten his collar and hair, "Fleur must be waiting for me."

 

"You sure you don't want some tea, Bill? I can make you a Pepper-up Potion. My house is just around the corner." 

 

"No, I'm fine." Bill responded as he tried not to sway in place, "But thank you Hermione. I'll be seeing you some other time. Take care of Harry...and Ron." 

And with that he apparated with an almost inaudible pop. 

Once Ron had stopped trying to puke a lung out, and George and Charlie had settled down with their bickering; Hermione began leading them all towards her apartment.

 

Percy had left an hour after they had all arrived to the last bar of the night, said he had some business to attend to that couldn't wait. 

While at that bar, Ron had tried to outdrink George, but obviously, it had not worked to his advantage.

"I know you cheated George." Hermione whispered to him once they had gotten both Harry and Ron on her couch.

 

"Of course not. What makes you say that Granger?" George asked as he smirked at her then winked at Charlie.

 

Hermione rolled her eyes at him as she pushed through them and headed to her kitchen. Hermione knew that it would be wrong to let Harry go home inebriated, but she was not sure why Ron was there at her apartment. She really was not even sure why they all were inside her home. She busied herself with making some tea and waited by the stove as she leaned on the counter in front of the stove. 

The night had been fun. After speaking to Percy about his job, she had convinced him to stay and accept the new position. She knew it was the right thing to do, he had always worked for it; what she had done shouldn't have to affect others. She was as lost as ever right now, Hermione was sure that Percy never had been lost about his decisions. Sure, maybe he had regretted some of his choices, but he always had a good reason for them. Meanwhile here she was, without a job and now thinking of what she could do to pay her rent. Of course, she knew she had obligations to think about, but with the commotion of finally being able to quit from her job and seeing some of her old friends tonight, she had forgotten all about them. After tonight, she would go seeking a job in muggle London. Perhaps as a waitress or for a local newspaper. All she had to worry about right now was sobering Harry and Rob a little, just enough for them to go home safely without repercussions from their loved ones. Especially from Ron's mother.

 

"You alright Hermione?" George asked as he sneaked up behind Hermione causing her to jump a little.

 

"Oh, fuck George. You scared me." Hermione said as she raised a hand to her chest and smiled. 

She hadn't realized that the water had been ready until George picked up the kettle from the stove quickly and set it on the counter beside it.

 

"I was actually just thinking about going job hunting later today." Hermione said as she began to get lost in her thoughts again. 

 

George was quiet for a few seconds before he looked up from the kettle. Turning to look at Hermione, he leaned back on the counter slightly.

"Maybe you would like to come work with me... at the shop." 

 

Hermione came back to reality as George finished his sentence. She stood there stunned for a few seconds, not knowing what to say. 

She had always disapproved of the twins' pranks, but she had always admitted how she thought they were geniuses in creating and building their joke shop from the ground up. 

 

"I know you probably don't want to, but-"

 

"Nonsense George. I just don't want to intrude on what you and Fred built. I haven't always screamed magnifique prankster. I've never even played a trick on someone."

 

"It'd be great Hermione. I promise." George replied as he grinned at Hermione, "I won't play any pranks on you I swear."

Hermione was in dire need of a job, and she knew that this was a good opportunity for her to branch out and try new things. That is what she has been wanting to do right? Find her place again? Maybe this might even help cheer her up. Working at a joke shop should be simple, there's no complications from working there, especially with people she has known for years.

 

"Okay George. I just have one request."

 

"What is it?" George asked eagerly as he raised one eyebrow.

 

"Teach me how to be a prankster like you. But a mild version. I don't want anyone to get hurt." Hermione said as she smirked at him slightly.

 

"I've never hurt anyone who didn't deserve it. But alright Hermione, I can take you under my wing I suppose. But there's always casualties, especially at the expense of a good laugh." George said as he pulled the famous Weasley grin and walked by her with the kettle on a tray. 

Hermione was excited, but nervous to find out what kind of things she could learn from George. But, if she wanted to explore aspects of herself she hadn't before, it was time to do things that would be uncharacteristic of her. And she was ready to break the mold that everyone had built for her, she would no longer be the Hermione everyone had always regarded her as. Starting tonight, she would do everything that the old her would have never done. Maybe this was the new adrenaline rush she had missed. It was coming back to her slowly. 

Even though she had quit her position because she had joined for the wrong reasons in the first place, she knew deep down that this was a bad idea. But, with the feeling of excitement burning inside her, she tossed the thoughts from her mind. Maybe she hadn't changed in these passed two years. Maybe she was still self destructing. 

 

 


	11. The Astronomy Tower

"So where are we going?" Hermione asked as she walked alongside Draco.

He had shown up at her doorstep right at seven o' clock in the afternoon, just as he had promised. Hermione had been ready since five, but she hadn't admitted this to Draco. She was still not sure what his intentions were although Harry had promised that Draco was not the same Draco they has encountered at Hogwarts she still had her doubts. She had been friendly towards him since they had left her apartment, and she would continue to be unless he showed any form of negative reaction. Hermione had gotten her wand, something she hadn't done is so long. The weight of it in her bag was noticeable to her, but the truth was, her wand did not weigh as much as it seemed right now. In truth, her wand was as light as she knew it was, she had had it for so long, so she knew her wand quite well. It seemed heavier because she knew she felt guilty for bringing it along with her. But she hoped she was wrong in bringing it, she hoped she did not have to use it tonight. But if it meant that she could save Harry from any harm, then she would do it again; no questions asked.

 

"I thought we could go for dinner and then a walk? " Draco asked as he walked but turned to grin at her, something that made her feel weird. Draco had never smiled at her, but he had been ever since he had apologized. It still made her feel odd whenever he did.

 

"Sounds great." Hermione responded as they kept walking through the street. There were people everywhere, it was a Saturday night so it wasn't at all surprising. "So... why are you in muggle London so often?"

Hermione had wanted to know this, it was a bit off for Draco to be able to navigate around here so well. She had known that he had had no knowledge of it, she remember he disliked Muggle Studies back at Hogwarts and had avoided it as much as possible with the help of his father, but to no avail.

 

"Well, as you know, I have been with Rosie for a few months now. She has muggle parents. We visit often and I've had the pleasure of exploring London. Not so bad actually." Malfoy said as he smiled to himself. It was obvious that Draco liked Rosie, maybe even loved her. It made Hermione feel better about him, maybe he had changed.

 

"What about your father?" 

It had escaped her lips before she had the opportunity to stop herself. She knew that his father, Lucius, had always been obsessed with purity so this must have come as a shock to him. His son, his only son, was now with a muggle-born witch, it had to have garnered a negative response from him.

 

"What about him? Father and mother do not meddle with my business. They are happy to see me happy. That's all that matters."

* * *

 

After dinner Draco and Hermione had agreed to go on a walk around London, she had convinced Draco to go with her to the nearby bookshop. She knew it was closed by now, seeing as it was almost going to be nine. But she wanted to show him the outside and just wanted to walk around, maybe show him places he hadn't been to yet.

 

"Do you still study Astrology?" Hermione asked as they walked along the sidewalk, cars passing to her right where Draco was walking.

 

Draco arched his eyebrow upward, but decided not to comment on the fact that she knew what his favourite subject had been. "I do actually. Not exclusively, but in my spare time. I have a large balcony in my home, I sometimes spend my nights staring at the various constellations. Reminds me of simpler times."

 

"I saw you once... in the astronomy tower during our sixth year." Hermione had never told anyone about this, so she was not sure why he was telling him now. But maybe, he should know of all people, it had been his alone time... hers as well. "I hadn't meant to see anyone else there, especially not you." By now, Draco had stopped to stare at her, there was no way she could brush it off and tell him to forget about it. She had started with her story, so the only thing left to do was to finish it. "I never told anyone. As much as I disliked you, it felt wrong to. I saw you crying. I didn't know what to make of it, so I just kept quiet."

Hermione had gone to the astronomy tower that evening to let her anger out. It was during the time when Ron had been with Lavender, and it had bugged her to no end whenever she saw them prancing around together, so she had needed time to herself. The astronomy tower had been one of those places where she knew no one went willingly, students only went there when they had to for classes or to do homework regarding their Astronomy class.

 

Draco kept quiet for what seemed minutes, staring at her until he looked somewhere else. "Why were you there?"

Hermione knew he was trying to avoid talking about it, maybe he felt embarrassed by the moment of weakness she had seen.

 

"It was when Ron was with Lavender."

 

"Oh, right." He responded as he raised both eyebrows, "I always wondered why he had chosen to be with her. You two practically seemed married."

 

Hermione scoffed at his comment. "We did not."

She knew it wasn't a lie, everyone had mentioned it, even Ron's parents had assumed that they would end up together. Even she had thought about it. But, as fate would have it, they had not.

 

"Who knows who I will end up with. Maybe I will just have to marry myself." Hermione said as they began walking again. 

 

"Oh, I doubt someone wouldn't find you attractive, what with that big brain of yours Granger." 


	12. A Bright Pink Jacket

After a short nighttime walk around London with Draco, Hermione was left at her doorstep. The night had been wonderful, something she had not anticipated, Draco certainly was not as horrible as she had remembered him, but she still had her doubts. She had invited him in for a cup of tea, but Draco had declined her offer. After he had bid her farewell, an awkward thing mind you, he apparated with a low snap. 

Hermione had not spent another second awake. As soon as she closed the door to her apartment, she had went straight to bed. She had not even bothered changing into her pajamas. The walk had certainly taken a toll on her, she was not as prepared as she had been back at Hogwarts, she wondered if Draco had grown tired as well.

 

The next morning, Hermione was awoken with a loud knock on her door. She got up half asleep and yelled out, "I'm coming!" As pleasantly as she could, though it sounded not as pleasant when the words came out of her mouth.

 

"Yes?" Hermione asked trying to wake up and looking at the woman in front of her.

 

"Hermione!" Exclaimed the girl as she barged in with bags in both hands.

 

"Ginny? What are you doing here? I thought you had something to do today?" Hermione asked bewildered at the red headed witch in her apartment.

 

"Oh yes, well, it's already three in the afternoon Hermione!" Ginny exclaimed as Hermione closed the front door. The witch made her way towards Hermione's kitchen, probably looking for a beverage. "And, I heard, from a little bird, that you got offered a job."

 

"George." Hermione mumbled.

 

"Well yes, but, Charlie told me actually. I might have overheard it." She heard the witch looking through her cupboards, loudly. 

Hermione should have guessed that Ginny had overheard it, she was someone who always seemed to know something. 

 

"I bought you work clothes." Ginny said as she popped back in the living room with a small glass bottle of orange juice. 

 

"Work clothes? Ginny, I already have work clothes."

It was true, Hermione had bought clothes to wear at the Ministry when she had first applied. It was all she had, apart from a few dresses and clothes that she had worn when she was still at Hogwarts, which she still fit into, miraculously. 

 

"You have plain, boring work clothes. No offense." She responded as she retrieved something from one of the bags. "These will make sure you fit right in my brother's shop." 

As Ginny said this, she pulled out a bright pink jacket with a grin.

 

"Ginny." Hermione said slowly. "Is this a joke? I don't want to look like Umbridge!"

 

It took a moment for Ginny to realize what Hermione was referring to and began to burst into laughter, "Shit. I didn't picture that when I was picking this out. I'm sure George would never let you hear the end of it if he had seen you in this." Ginny set down the bright pink jacket down on the couch. "George and Fred did despise that woman after all."

 

Hermione smiled and nodded at Ginny as she remembered how the twins had disrupted Umbridge's perfect little world. She would have been furious if it had been anything or anyone else, but Hermione had cheered for the twins. They had tried their best to brighten up the school even when everyone seemed to have lost their will and spirit.

 

"Anyway, what else do you have in those bags of your's? They better not include more dreadful outfits to make me look like George's worst nightmare." Hermione said as she walked toward Ginny and sat next to her.

 

"I promise the rest are better."


	13. The Backroom

A month had passed since Hermione had begun working in the shop, but even as she leaned against the counter at that moment; she still felt uncomfortable. Her thoughts had been filled with nothing but work for the passed month, but whenever she had a moment to herself- this feeling began to overcome her. It wasn't a good feeling, and she knew why she felt it. It was because it felt weird to not see Fred around the shop. Now that she thought about it, she hadn't seen George either. Well, apart from the first day she had arrived.

 

"Hey, Lee, where's George?" Hermione asked, asLee Jordan was coming down the staircase with a box full of fireworks.

  
  
"In the backroom, where he invents this stuff," he replied as he walked toward a table and made room for the cardboard box. 

 

"And..where's that at exactly?" She hadn't seen a back room anywhere and she had been working here for the past few weeks. She began to look around half expecting a door to pop out from nowhere. 

 

"Down the hall, take a left and then a right."

 

Hermione had gone down that hall once or twice, but had never fully explored it. As she reached the end of the hall, she turned left and then made a right as Lee had told her to. She came to a brown, wooden door with a large silver doorknob. Just as she was about to open it, she heard George talking. With her hand on the doorknob, she stayed still as she continued to hear George talking. It was almost inaudible, but she made out a few words; "I don't know, Fred."

Fred? Why would George mention him? And most importantly, how would he be talking to Fred if he was dead? Hermione grew perplexed as she began to understand what could be really going on. Twisting the doorknob, she quickly opened it to discover George in front of a cauldron. Alone. No one else was in there with him. Although she wished that she would see another shaggy red headed man, she only saw the one. 

 

"George? Are you alright?" Hermione asked as she looked around the cluttered room. There were spellbooks and notes spread all over another table apart from the table that the cauldron was on. A few herbs lay on the table as well, as a very tired looking George looked up at her. His hair a mess and the hint of stubble on his chin. Arms sleeves raised half up his arms. 

 

"Oh, Hermione. I was just working on something new," he replied as he looked back down at the cauldron and stirred.

 

"I heard you talking to someone." Hermione responded, not really thinking of how George might react to her statement. 

 

"Who would I be talking to? No one is here." George said as he looked around with arms outstretched as his gaze landed back on Hermione, a smirk forming on his lips.

 

"You said Fred, George. Are you talking to-"

 

"I don't know what you're talking about." George responded as he looked down at one of the leather bound books to his right. "Shouldn't you be helping out in the front?"

 

Hermione could sense the annoyance in George's tone and she knew she had struck at a nerve. Something sensitive. She had always poked at people's problems, maybe she could help George. She didn't like leaving things in a stand still when she knew she could get it done and fixed. 

"George, I could help you if you need-"

 

"I don't need anything." George snapped. "What I need is for you to get back to work, Granger." When he said those words, he did not look up at her and she heard the sternness in his voice, something she had never experienced while in the presence of the twins. It felt weird to have George talk to her in that manner. It felt wrong, just like the feeling she had been feeling ever since she first got to the shop. 

Without another word, Hermione left the small, candle-lit room. She had wanted to help George, but it was obvious that maybe he did not need her help. Maybe she had misheard? Maybe she had hoped that other people were still haunted by the past? That maybe there was someone else that the war affected as much as it had to her? 

Returning to the front of the store, she noticed that Lee Jordan had gone home. The box of fireworks was nowhere to be seen which meant he had arranged everything. Making sure everything was secure inside the shop, Hermione made her way out of the store and locked the door. She knew that George and Fred had their apartment in the shop, so there was no need for Hermione to leave the door unlocked. As Hermione wrapped her coat around her waist, she looked back at the dimly lit joke shop and wondered whether she had done the right thing in pushing George's buttons. It had not been her intention to pry, she had just wanted to show him that she could help him with whatever he was going through. Whether it was a mental issue or not, Hermione had just wanted to let George know that she too was not okay. That he could talk to her about Fred if he wanted to. Because, Hermione missed Fred too, even if she saw him in her dreams every other night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got a brand new keyboard so now I can continue typing this story! I wrote this while I was half asleep. So I will be reviewing it when I have the time. Hope you enjoy!


	14. A Thought and Nothing More

After looking back at the shop one last time- and catching a glimpse of the large face at the front of the shop, Hermione began to walk down the the street. Busying herself with her thoughts, Hermione did not notice the person following behind. 

 

There were not many people at this time, but the streets were still busy. It was closing time, and many of the shops were preparing for the night although some shops still had shoppers inside. The encounter with George only moments before was still at the forefront of her mind, she couldn't shake the feeling that maybe she should go back and try to apologize to George for intruding in whatever it was he had been doing. Perhaps it was his way to cope with his brother's death? She had not thought of that. It was more of a surprise to her that she had judged him. She had thought that maybe he had finally snapped- that perhaps he was not in the correct state of mind. Stopping in the middle of the street, she hesitated for a moment before she decided that maybe she should go back and try and talk to George. Maybe he needed help. Hermione shook her head as she fussed with her thoughts. She couldn't, she had not been as close to George as she had been with Fred, sure they had talked on occasion during their time at Hogwarts and she had stayed at the Burrow plenty of times, but she had never really formed a bond with George. He shared the same face as Fred, but that didn't mean that they were the same person. They were each different, and Hermione couldn't approach George the same way she used to approach Fred. 

 

"Hermione?"

A voice called out from in front of her as she looked up and saw Draco walking toward her with a surprised expression, "What are you doing here at this hour?"

 

"Working." Hermione responded as she was pulled from her thoughts. 

 

"Oh right, I had forgotten about that. How's it going? Is it a headache with all the children?" He asked with a half smile and a raise of his eyebrow.

 

"At times it can be," She grinned at him as she tried to focus on the conversation- but thoughts of George in the back room clouded her thoughts. "But, other than that, it's been great actually. It's a fun environment." 

That was completely true- although tonight had been different, it was always a fun place to work at. She had no reason to complain about working in the shop, it was not hard work; it was interesting to say the least. She loved the job- it made her feel happy.

 

"Anyway, what are you doing here? Did you also quit your job and come work at one of these shops?" 

 

Draco laughed as he looked at the ground then looked back up at Hermione, "Actually, I came to buy some things I needed." 

Hermione looks down and notices that he is indeed holding a bag on his right hand. 

 

"At this hour?" She asks as she looks back up. "Wait, don't answer that. Work."

 

Draco nodded as he replied with an, "Exactly."

 

"Fancy some dinner?" Draco asked. Hermione looked up at him dumbfounded- it had been weeks since the last time they had seen each other. Without as much as a message, they had not talked since the time they had gone out for dinner and now here he was asking her out for dinner... 

 

And although Hermione wished nothing than to decline the offer, she couldn't deny the fact that she was hungry- she hadn't had any food since the early afternoon, and on second thought, Draco had not been bad company the last time. "If we even find anything open at this hour. How about we just go to the Three Broomsticks?"

Hermione, of course, knew that there were still many other places open during this time but, she had been wanting to visit the Three Broomsticks for some time. She had not been there since a couple years ago and she thought that it was about time that she go visit and see how it was doing. She had very fond memories there, she remembered when she bickered with Harry and an oblivious Ron about GInny. Now that seemed so far away, even though it had not been that long ago. After Draco agreed with a bit of hesitation, Hermione pushed the thought of George alone in the back room and took hold of Draco's arm without a second thought before they disapparated.


End file.
